St. Paul's West Side Flats project finally on track

October 27, 2012 - 10:17 PM

The West Side Flats development got a long-awaited push forward last week with City Council approval of a development deal with Sherman Associates.

The $35 million project will be a mix of market rate and affordable housing as well as commercial space. Some $23 million comes through a loan from the federal Housing and Urban Development Department. The remainder comes from city and state grants and the Metropolitan Council.

The development will be built just over the Wabasha Bridge from downtown St. Paul on Fillmore Avenue.

The first phase will include a 178-unit apartment building with 20 percent of the units being affordable. The phase also includes more than 6,000 square feet of commercial space with parking beneath the building.

The second phase will convert a surface parking lot into a building.

The development has been languishing for more than a decade and originally was envisioned as high-end condominiums.